My fondest memory of meeting Paul Williams was when my father told him that he thoroughly enjoyed _Phantom of the Paradise._ To which Williams smiled, and said: ‘I’m so glad to meet the guy who saw my picture.’ I didn’t understand it then, as I was only 12, but I get it now! To say the least, _PotP_ is one of my all time favorite movies 👏👏👏
I was convinced that he was just cosplaying as Griffith from BERSERK until I heard that it was released in 1974. I'm glad you mentioned the influence there.
I remember when mentioning BERSERK would barely get a response due to very few people knowing about it until the absolute atrocity that was the most recent CG riddled Anime adaption. I was surprised at just how many people also commented on the same thing as you and me! To anyone that still has no idea what it is, and can appreciate a story that is all together tragic, dark and gorgeous, I say to just go find the Manga and skip the anime for now. It is definitely worth the time required to go through it all.
6:23 The actors duck to go through the doorway, which is shorter to accommodate Paul Williams, who is listed as 5'2". It's a nice little touch that shows how much power Swan has.
Something worth pondering...Brian De Palma is friends with George Lucas (and even helped write a little of the opening crawl for Star Wars). It's not beyond the realm of possibility that Lucas might have looked at this film, with a disfigured, masked, deep-voiced tragic villain who's only able to speak because of a voice synthesizer, and who ended up this way because of the machinations of a far more evil villain, and thought, "I could work with this..."
It's possible. But I don't think George came up with Vader's backstory until after "Star Wars" was released. Maybe 1978? IMHO, the best bet as to the inspiration for Darth Vader, at lease as far as character design goes, is Marvel Comic's Dr. Doom.
I've never watched a single one of your videos, but I clicked this one becasue PotP is my favorite movie. I was worried you were gonna be shitting on it, I'm so glad this video was made in appreciation!!
this movie works because it doesn't take itself too seriously. the plunger scene is bonkers. a modern remake would be by a24 and it would be insufferably self important
As a 70s kid, I saw this movie a LOT. Double features were still common and Phantom was kept as the B movie by one of our only two local theaters for a long, long time. So, when 'Jaws' came out and we were going to see it again and again, this often meant watching Phantom yet again. On my next birthday I got the soundtrack for Phantom and the movie of 'Tommy' by a request to my grandmother. That Paul Williams created all of those songs across genres in such a short time has always amazed me and I still enjoy them to this day. One thing I didn't realize then, being a kid who didn't know much about the dark side of the music business, was that the character of Swan was plainly based on Phil Spector. Decades before going on trial for murder, he was known to the public as a genius music producer but also well known within the creative community Brian De Palma was rising in as something of a lunatic and possibly dangerous.
@@LarsBlitzerand at the end of the story, Guts & Casca are going to merge and form Akira Fudo, while Griffith regains his memories as Lucifer/Ryo Asuka. Secret Devilman series. Go Nagai got us again.
As one who grew up in Winnipeg during that amazing time, it was nothing shy of AMAZING to be able to meet and hug the man who gave us Winslow Leach. William autographed both parts of Faust for me (for some reason, it was released in two books) . I scotch taped the cover so it wouldn't fade. Next year, (2024 ) marks the movie's 50th anniversary, and Winnipeg (well duh!) is hosting an event to commemorate that mile stone. Sadly, the show sold out before I could get a ticket, but that's okay. I got to say THANK YOU to my first mentor and the cast got to bask in the love that was initially denied them.
That, good fan, is a mystery which may never be solved. Just one of those wild things that I was glad to have been part of. I could offer theories, but those are a dollar a dozen. Being a Winnipeg kid, from back in that day, we just took to it. Maybe it had to do with feeling like the underdog, who triumphed over overwhelming odds. Who knows? Now, 50 years later (WOW!! REALLY?!?!? YUP. REALLY) We're celebrating Brian DePalma's dark horse. If you bet on this long shot at the races, you'd be singing all the way to the bank. 'WINSLOW'S CANTATA takes an astounding lead and wins the race! WHO would have thought it possible, folks?!" @@sjdrifter72
@@BearBitesShow Consider that their next appearance is as 'The Undead'. With an obvious nod to Kiss, who were still a bit obscure at the time of production.
@@epobirs Kiss were beyond obscure when this was filmed. Alice Cooper was the inspiration for The Undeads. They're ripping apart bodies on-stage like he allegedly ripped apart a chicken (that story was exaggerated, but it made him infamous at the time).
@@Garch-the-Great No, I saw this movie in it's original theatrical run, as a ten year old. I knew who Kiss were then and immediately understood the reference. Their biggest albums were still ahead of them but they were already getting a lot of attention for their presentation.
Let's not forget Jessica Harper's even bigger cult favorite film SUSPIRIA. But, yes, this is an amazing and super influential film. The Juicy Fruits goth incarnation has been even said to influence goth bands like Bauhaus in the later 70s.
@@ceolsvalin5744 I love how Shock Treatment feels like it was made *thirty years* too early. At the time, it was borderline incomprehensible. Now it comes off like a parody of influencer culture and "personal brands." It's definitely not as good as Rocky, but it has its own charms. Plus more Jessica Harper!
@@LosHuxleys Suspiria is more remembered. It is one of the scariest movies I had the misfortune of watching. Even the tv spot for Suspiria was terrifying for me as a 5 year old.
This movie was actually well known in France (that is why Phoenix and Daft Punk were so fond of it), as he got the first prize at the Festival d'Avoriaz (cinéma fantastique). It was shown once a year on national french television during the 80s, after 10 pm, with excellent critics on TV programs magazines. Les français comprennent toujours tout avant les autres..
It's also really popular in Japan (which is why it's so often referenced by anime and manga) to the point that at least one toy company released an officially licensed Phantom action figure, and even replicas of stuff like the Death Records* shipping boxes. *Something else worth noting about the film, originally the record label was called Swan Song (which makes a lot more sense) but Led Zeppelin had an actual record label with that name and threatened to sue, so the name was changed to Death Records in the film's dialogue via ADR and referred to by that name in the promo materials but, if you look close, the signs and branding in the film still use the Swan Song name because the changes weren't made until after filming.
I'll always remember the part about the metal teeth, the fact that the main baddie in Berserk has the same helmet was another "oh, that's COOL!" Moments. This was one of those video store rentals that I picked up because the main villain looked cool, didn't know it was a cult classic!
I don't know how this ended up on my recommended but I sure am glad it did. I almost fell out of my chair when i saw you only have 360 subs... Keep doing you and, this channel is gonna blow up soon enough!
Back when I used Tumblr, I remember seeing stills of the film. So I watched it on a sketchy free website. After 1 watch, I bought a physical copy. It has completely rocked my world! Paul Williams quickly became one of my favorites. We're Instagram mutuals, something I'll never get over
I'm from Winnipeg and the following for this movie here is actually insane, huge watch parties for it every year with live bands and the whole deal. This year they've got the surviving cast making an appearance as well. One of my favorite musicals.
It's been my GREAT good fortune to have been living in Los Angeles at the time the film came out. I was friends with Linda Miller, an animator with Disney. She introduced me to the film, and to Jim Tanenbaum, who was the sound engineer for the film. He gave a talk at the Los Angeles Science fantasy Society (LASFS) about some of the behind-the-scene details of the film. For instance, the scene with the auditions around Swan's record desk was done in a single 360 degree take. How to conceal the necessary mics? The sound engineer had to crawl around, UNDER the desk, on hands and knees, holding a mic under the frame to catch each singer's voice! Technology has improved since then.
I remember watching this for the first time when I was around 15. Though there aren't that many horror musicals (I think there are about six I can think of off the top of my head), this one tops the list as my all time favorite. The combination of both Williams' and Harper's vocal talents along with Williams' masterful songwriting is just amazing. Tacking on the directorial genius of De Palma is just icing on a superbly surreal cake that I would happily eat up any time I get it served to me. Awesome work on this video.
I saw this first decades ago, it stayed in the dark corners of my brain, like it was just a strange dream I had. Not many movies can do that. Thanks for refreshing it.
Thourourghly enjoyed your look at one of my very favorite films. I saw it when it opened on October 31st, 1974, I was only nine but I loved it. Some might say it opened on November 1st, but I believe I saw it on Halloween. One of De Palma’s best films and easily one of my favorite soundtracks. The Hell Of It is one of the greatest tracks… EVER! I’m so glad you love it like everyone who’s posted here. Great job! 👍
I still remember, at nine-years-old, seeing this film twice in the theater back in ‘74. It was like nothing I had ever seen before and I fell in love with it. Especially Paul Williams songs. I played the vinyl soundtrack so many times, I think I wore it out. For so many years this film was just forgotten and wasn’t available to watch on any format. It’s so great that this masterpiece has received the attention it deserves, including a magnificent remastered transfer on Blu-ray.
I remember staying up late and sneaking down stairs. After my parents were asleep and watching this on HBO when we first got cable in the late 70's. Loved it. Thanks,that fun video.
One of my favorite films of all time. No exaggeration. I couldn't count how many times I've watched it since I first saw it as a kid. I was born 4 years after this came out but my Mom loved it and we rented it on Beta (lol), when I was around ten years old and I thought it was brilliant. The prison sequence always kills me. Sometimes I load it up on my PC just to skip through the flick just to listen to the musical numbers... and to this day I constantly catch myself hearing THE HELL OF IT in my head out of nowhere. Williams, Harper and Finley give it their all, and it shows, but I think Gerrit Graham as Beef often steals the scenes. :)
This is amazing. I remember seeing the advertising for this as a kid, but my sister talked me out of seeing it. I never knew what this film was about all these years. Thanks for sharing.
As soon as I saw this, I just HAD to hear what you had to say about it. Seen this as a child and as you can imagine, it left an impression on me. In a good way. It likely contributed in no small way to my life long obsession with bizzare cult films. If you even remotely are interested in weird movies, this is a MUST SEE!
I saw and loved this one time when i was quite young, and for years, i could not remember its name or find out about it till the internet rescued me!! It holds a special place in my heart!! Thank you for raising awareness of it!!
Jessica Harper had such a strange 'typecasting.' In all three of the movies she's best-known for, she's a wide-eyed ingenue artist who almost gets destroyed by the dark side of her art. (The other two being Susperia and Shock Treatment.) It's an oddly-specific career. But yeah, this movie is tons of fun. Definitely a must-see for cult movie fans.
I saw this movie on my local tv station, it was one of the movies you see and want to change the channel but for some reason or another you keep watching. Thank you for the analysis, I had no idea that de Palma was behind this. Keep up the good work.
Phantom of the Paradise has been among my top 3 favourite movies of all time (along with Terry Gilliam's "Brazil" and Hal Ashby's "Being There" (Peter Sellers greatest performance)) since I attended the local preniere. 50 years after its release (geez I'm old), I've lost count of how many times I've seen it, but I know the lyrics of all the (wonderful) songs by heart. Frankenfurter's got nothing on Swan. You should have allowed the audio for "I'm under contract too". (and did you actually use "That's the hell of it" in your summary ? Well done!)
I had the pleasure of seeing the "restored" version last night at the Majestic Theatre in Dallas (the Paradise itself!) with Paul Williams in attendance!!
My mom made my brother and his friend take me to see this film in the theater (I was 8 years old) I wasn't old enough to catch the humor, all I saw were the horrific elements, and so the film scared the 💩 outta me. Fast forward to 2008: This film is now one of my all time favorite movies, I'm a die hard horror fanatic, and I got to see Paul Williams live. I had him sign my PotP DVD in red ink, "Trust me... Swan"... (If you had the soundtrack album, you'd get it.)
I've never heard of your channel before; I've never heard of this movie before; yet somehow I found your video about this movie and now I'm convinced I need to watch it. This sounds WAY better than The Phantom of the Opera.
The moment I discovered this movie a few years ago I fell in love with it. Everything about it was just perfect, definitely one of my all time favorite musicals.
I saw the film at a cinema palace in Toronto, in 1974. It was spot on to my lifestyle at that time. I still play the CD now and then. Jessica Harpers' song about how old souls live forever still touches me.
I stumbled across this film as a little kid anytime I played this or watched it no ONE around me got into like I did. This is one of my favorite movies and I feel a very underrated film.
Another fun but not often mentioned fact: everyone knows the story about "Swan Song" being changed because of pressure from Led Zeppelin, but there's another (probably unintentional) throwaway reference to real life music. A clueless Philbin asks Winslow what label Faust is on. The answer is Polydor Records. There actually WAS a band called Faust at the time, a German Krautrock/progressive rock group, who were somewhat well known among prog fans, but not by mainstream audiences and not in the US. FWIW, a concept album and theatrical live show about the historical Faust is certainly in line with what you'd expect from the progressive rock scene of the time...maybe De Palma was more hip than he let on.
I don't watch movies anymore. Considering I went to school for cinema, worked at a movie rental, and spent most of my free time watching films, it's still a bit surprising. It is what it is. When other film fanatics found out I cherished movies like: Forbidden Zone, El Topo, Street Trash, The Loved One, Population 1, most assumed I've seen this one- I never had. Considering I don't have free time to watch a full-length films at this time, this is the next best thing. Thank you! It was on my list for some time❤
At 14, I watched this with my 9 year old little brother at the UA Fashion Place Cinemas in Murray, Utah. It didn't bother me, but my brother was completely terrorized by it, especially since you could hear 'The Texas Chainsaw Massacre ' playing in the theater next to us.
I was only eight when the movie came out but somehow I got album . Fell in love with the music a few years later it came on HBO I think . Watched it and then fell in love movie . What struck me the most was the opening dialog. When Philbin complains about losing the court case against a singer Swan ask. “ what do you want me to do ?” Philbin says “break her”. Swan ends the conversation after Philbin says “she is on top of the charts” By saying “ that’s today Philbin today tomorrow she is nothing” . That says a lot about fame just because you are famous today does not mean you will be there tomorrow.
Nice thoughtful review. My girlfriend (later my wife) loved Paul Williams' lyrics and music. We got to see it in an out of the way art film theater in Baltimore. It always surprised me that PotP predates the Rocky Horror Picture Show
Great review! Thorough with a good start to paint a picture for cult movies, and I could really tell the love the film and tried to do this wonderful and wonderfully mad movie justice. A great crazy take on the Phantom of the Opera story.
Paul Williams is also the voice the Penguin from Batman the Animated Series! I remember watching cable TV with my buddy one night and he was flipping through the channels and Phantom of the Paradise was on. There was a shot of the contract and my buddy goes, "It's Swan, dude!" It made me crack up that I still laugh about it years later. 😆
I ADORE this film. It's not just the price one pays but also a commentary on the entertainment industry. With all the recent revelations about film producers and Hollywood and the stories of people trying to get into the music industry, I find this story to be a somewhat surrealist version of what some people go through to exist as entertainers in the industry itself. It's very poignant really. For many people there's Rocky Horror, but for me, this film IS my Rocky Horror. There's so much to discuss about this film, i could start a podcast about just this film alone.
I saw PHANTOM OF THE PARADISE at the theatre when it was first released, and was totally gobsmacked! I’ve owned the VHS tape, I still have the DVD and the CD soundtrack. I’ve written about it in Scary Monsters magazine. For decades, I’ve said that if ROCKY HORROR didn’t exist, PHANTOM would have taken on a different life and filled the void. The look of the film, the sets, the colour scheme, the costumes (especially the mask!), the script, everything comes together in a way that films rarely do these days. Then, there’s the music: The best thing about the film is that Paul Williams wrote the music, and the worst thing about it is that Paul Williams wrote the music. Make of that what you will.
I loved this film. I saw it when it opened. It influenced me greatly. I never saw Rocky Horror until about 11 years later, and whenever someone would bring up that movie I would say "yeah, but have you ever seen Phantom of the Paradise?" You had the story of Faust, the Phantom of the Opera, Dorian Gray all wrapped up together. I have the soundtrack on my phone, that''s how much I love this movie. As a side note, I wonder how much the music (especially Faust (I was not myself last night - Winslow version) influenced Jim Steinman? It's very similar to Meatloaf, Bonnie Tyler and Air Supply tunes he wrote years later.
Saw this decades ago at the theater. I think it was a Weird Wednesday special showing at Alamo Drafthouse. Either way, the music has been stuck in my head growing up since.
I saw this movie on release at the base theater on Ft. Monmouth N.J. in 1974! It set the stage for "Rocky Horror" and what followed...♥ Jessica Harper still has that voice!
Your great tribute has been up for a while. I can't be the first to mention (ironically?) Paul Williams today is president and chairman of ASCAP, big shot among big shots. ...an amazing career.
I was a kid in the 80’s teen in the 90’s. I had completely forgotten about this movie until I just saw it pop up in my recommendations. I use to see this on TV on the weekends when I was a kid and always tried to watch it but never really knew what the heck was going on exactly because I never caught it from the beginning. I always watched it wherever it was in the film because it was pretty crazy and had to do with music. It eventually just faded away in my memories until now. I’m definitely going to buy this on dvd and finally give it a go from beginning to end. Thanks : )
@@BearBitesShow Oh, it definitely was! 50th anniversary of the film’s release. Paul Williams was there, as were several of the surviving cast members (as well as the children of some of the ones no longer with us). They did a Q&A after the showing, and a local band played the entire soundtrack live - with the original Juicy Fruits/Beach Bums/Undead joining them on several of the songs. Another interesting tidbit, the film they showed was a recently restored “directors cut”. Just before the original release, the film was heavily edited to remove (most of) the Swan logos, due to a legal claim by Led Zeppelin’s Swan Song records. The missing footage was tracked down and the original continuity was restored, with the approval of De Palma. Oh, yeah, in case you didn’t realize it already, yes, I live in Winnipeg!
I watched this movie looking out the back window of a station wagon while my parents watched something else in the front seat at a Drive-In. So I got all of the visuals and none of the music. On subsequent viewings, I came to really appreciate it. It would make a great Broadway musical (as would Streets Of Fire, btw) and on a side note, I think Phoenix has a degree from the Elaine Benes School Of Dance.
I lived in Hollywood, California when that came out and there was this theater that would play this film right before The Rocky Horror Picture Show every Fri and Sat night and a double feature. I went to see it for months in a row. I was a teenager then and there were a lot of folks who loved it. I had the record album with all of the music
The vinyl press that injures him was an injection molding machine from Pressman Toys which makes games as told to me by one the employees. Saw the movie as a kid in theaters (having happy-go-lucky clueless parents helps) so kinda geeked out to hear it. The POTP was popular in France and as mentioned, Canada.
This classic was huge in Winnipeg Manitoba during the 70's. If you are 55+ or even younger, you know the Juicy Fruits-Goodbye Eddy. "...anyone tries, dies!
I saw this with my brother in the theater. It was PG! He asked for the soundtrack for Christmas, and actually GOT IT (he was always the music aficionado, not me). He would have been 11, me 9. I was so embarrassed when some of those songs were played at the family Christmas gathering. The look on Aunt Frankie's face! Anyway, I truly always loved the movie and music though. Brian DePalma, Paul Williams. Best of the best back then. Edit: 17:54 I see what you did there.
I know I'm yammering a lot here, but this movie has INSANE avenues for imagination. For example..... what if you were one of those guys who 'stabbed' Swan, thinking it was all 'part of the show' . Next day (or mid-afternoon) , you wake up, and meander downstairs for 'breakfast' (It's Sunday) . Suppose you're living with your parents, who are getting ready for DINNER and dad 'casually' asks, "So how did the concert go?" "Cool", you reply, wondering what time it is. "Can't wait to see what Swan does next. Man, can that dude put on a show!" "Killer," your dad semi-sarcastically replies before setting down the front page of the newspaper, showing the bloodied faces of Swan, Philbin and Winslow, with a sobbing Phoenix kneeling over him under the banner headline, *"SWAN'S SONG ENDS ON A TRAGIC NOTE* {Police investigate string of fatalities connected with legendary Producer's rock music theater}. There is SO MUCH *"Scope for Imagination"* in the aftermath of that night. I'm tempted to re-write a story I started a while ago; "Now and THEN" . Think it's worth a go?
Apparently, the record press was equipped with Rubber parts and a safety bar so that it didn’t close all the way. However the safety bar broke but they were able to get the actor out in time.
Had this on VHS as a child I watched it every over and over, we didn’t have cable it’s really comforting to watch and I still fall asleep to it sometimes as an adult.
The composing room that Swan keeps Winslow in is none other than the control room of TONTO, the original Moog synthesizer studio where Stevie Wonder recorded hundreds of songs, including "Superstition" and "You Are the Sunshine of My Life".
Fun fact. That giant modular synthesizer in the background, that they have the Phantom playing, is a real, and very famous Moog synthesizer called the TONTO. It was used by a LOT of very famous artists.
If you haven't already, check out "Zero Time", an outstanding early electronic album by the aptly named Tonto's Expanding Head Band (aka Malcolm Cecil and Robert Margouleff), recorded entirely with this monster Moog system. There's trippy '60s-esque synth-raga, and there's impressive proto-EDM in there... impressive because this album is from 1971. I can't imagine how much all those Moog modules must have cost to buy!
My fondest memory of meeting Paul Williams was when my father told him that he thoroughly enjoyed _Phantom of the Paradise._ To which Williams smiled, and said: ‘I’m so glad to meet the guy who saw my picture.’ I didn’t understand it then, as I was only 12, but I get it now! To say the least, _PotP_ is one of my all time favorite movies 👏👏👏
Beautiful! 🐻❤️
And that is the guy that wrote a lot of muppet songs
@@tgiacin435 little known fact: he was actually a muppet himself.
@@rmhartman I could believe it
He wrote a lot of Carpenters songs too... and just a lot of well known songs in general. @@tgiacin435
I was convinced that he was just cosplaying as Griffith from BERSERK until I heard that it was released in 1974. I'm glad you mentioned the influence there.
dude i LITERALLY just made that comment lol xD like WOW is the inspiration SO APARENT OMG!!
I remember when mentioning BERSERK would barely get a response due to very few people knowing about it until the absolute atrocity that was the most recent CG riddled Anime adaption. I was surprised at just how many people also commented on the same thing as you and me! To anyone that still has no idea what it is, and can appreciate a story that is all together tragic, dark and gorgeous, I say to just go find the Manga and skip the anime for now. It is definitely worth the time required to go through it all.
I saw the mask in the thumbnail and that's what brought me.
😂 No, NO! ☝️
It’s the helmet of G-FORCE.
“Tiny, activate The Flying Phoenix!”
@@UpsideroundSame here
6:23 The actors duck to go through the doorway, which is shorter to accommodate Paul Williams, who is listed as 5'2". It's a nice little touch that shows how much power Swan has.
Something worth pondering...Brian De Palma is friends with George Lucas (and even helped write a little of the opening crawl for Star Wars). It's not beyond the realm of possibility that Lucas might have looked at this film, with a disfigured, masked, deep-voiced tragic villain who's only able to speak because of a voice synthesizer, and who ended up this way because of the machinations of a far more evil villain, and thought, "I could work with this..."
That is a very interesting thought indeed.
Whoa!
Hey, that's something to consider.
It's possible. But I don't think George came up with Vader's backstory until after "Star Wars" was released. Maybe 1978? IMHO, the best bet as to the inspiration for Darth Vader, at lease as far as character design goes, is Marvel Comic's Dr. Doom.
Inspiration can take more than one element...and put em together.
I've never watched a single one of your videos, but I clicked this one becasue PotP is my favorite movie. I was worried you were gonna be shitting on it, I'm so glad this video was made in appreciation!!
I love this movie! 🐻❤️
this movie works because it doesn't take itself too seriously. the plunger scene is bonkers. a modern remake would be by a24 and it would be insufferably self important
Same
As a 70s kid, I saw this movie a LOT. Double features were still common and Phantom was kept as the B movie by one of our only two local theaters for a long, long time. So, when 'Jaws' came out and we were going to see it again and again, this often meant watching Phantom yet again. On my next birthday I got the soundtrack for Phantom and the movie of 'Tommy' by a request to my grandmother. That Paul Williams created all of those songs across genres in such a short time has always amazed me and I still enjoy them to this day.
One thing I didn't realize then, being a kid who didn't know much about the dark side of the music business, was that the character of Swan was plainly based on Phil Spector. Decades before going on trial for murder, he was known to the public as a genius music producer but also well known within the creative community Brian De Palma was rising in as something of a lunatic and possibly dangerous.
Man, Griffith has had a weird life.
I think he's Femto at that point.
@@LarsBlitzerand at the end of the story, Guts & Casca are going to merge and form Akira Fudo, while Griffith regains his memories as Lucifer/Ryo Asuka.
Secret Devilman series.
Go Nagai got us again.
Gotta hustle to bankroll the Hawks somehow.
MAN . i thought that masked looked alot GRIFF LOL
@@majestyzx9081so this is what they called a "devilman brainrot"?
As one who grew up in Winnipeg during that amazing time, it was nothing shy of AMAZING to be able to meet and hug the man who gave us Winslow Leach. William autographed both parts of Faust for me (for some reason, it was released in two books) . I scotch taped the cover so it wouldn't fade.
Next year, (2024 ) marks the movie's 50th anniversary, and Winnipeg (well duh!) is hosting an event to commemorate that mile stone. Sadly, the show sold out before I could get a ticket, but that's okay. I got to say THANK YOU to my first mentor and the cast got to bask in the love that was initially denied them.
Yeah, the film has its biggest cult following in Winnipeg. I wonder why?
That, good fan, is a mystery which may never be solved. Just one of those wild things that I was glad to have been part of. I could offer theories, but those are a dollar a dozen.
Being a Winnipeg kid, from back in that day, we just took to it. Maybe it had to do with feeling like the underdog, who triumphed over overwhelming odds. Who knows?
Now, 50 years later (WOW!! REALLY?!?!? YUP. REALLY) We're celebrating Brian DePalma's dark horse. If you bet on this long shot at the races, you'd be singing all the way to the bank. 'WINSLOW'S CANTATA takes an astounding lead and wins the race! WHO would have thought it possible, folks?!" @@sjdrifter72
You got to hug Winslow. I am so jealous! That's awesome!
The Juicy fruits in fact died in the car explosion....but they are under cotract, so...
I love that theory!
@@BearBitesShow Consider that their next appearance is as 'The Undead'. With an obvious nod to Kiss, who were still a bit obscure at the time of production.
@@epobirs Kiss were beyond obscure when this was filmed. Alice Cooper was the inspiration for The Undeads. They're ripping apart bodies on-stage like he allegedly ripped apart a chicken (that story was exaggerated, but it made him infamous at the time).
@@Garch-the-Great No, I saw this movie in it's original theatrical run, as a ten year old. I knew who Kiss were then and immediately understood the reference. Their biggest albums were still ahead of them but they were already getting a lot of attention for their presentation.
@@epobirs The could change their name to, "The beef jerky's"
Let's not forget Jessica Harper's even bigger cult favorite film SUSPIRIA. But, yes, this is an amazing and super influential film. The Juicy Fruits goth incarnation has been even said to influence goth bands like Bauhaus in the later 70s.
Phantom Of The Paradise is better than Suspiria.
Don't forget Shock Treatment!
@@ceolsvalin5744 I love how Shock Treatment feels like it was made *thirty years* too early. At the time, it was borderline incomprehensible. Now it comes off like a parody of influencer culture and "personal brands." It's definitely not as good as Rocky, but it has its own charms. Plus more Jessica Harper!
@@LosHuxleys Suspiria is more remembered. It is one of the scariest movies I had the misfortune of watching. Even the tv spot for Suspiria was terrifying for me as a 5 year old.
This movie was actually well known in France (that is why Phoenix and Daft Punk were so fond of it), as he got the first prize at the Festival d'Avoriaz (cinéma fantastique). It was shown once a year on national french television during the 80s, after 10 pm, with excellent critics on TV programs magazines. Les français comprennent toujours tout avant les autres..
That’s pretty cool! Not surprising to say that the French have good taste in films 🐻❤️
It's also really popular in Japan (which is why it's so often referenced by anime and manga) to the point that at least one toy company released an officially licensed Phantom action figure, and even replicas of stuff like the Death Records* shipping boxes.
*Something else worth noting about the film, originally the record label was called Swan Song (which makes a lot more sense) but Led Zeppelin had an actual record label with that name and threatened to sue, so the name was changed to Death Records in the film's dialogue via ADR and referred to by that name in the promo materials but, if you look close, the signs and branding in the film still use the Swan Song name because the changes weren't made until after filming.
Omg this is what Griffith from berserk God hand form is based off of with that mask. Even how he was tortured is similar
That helmet shows up every damn where
That’s the only reason I clicked.
This is legitimately one of the best videos I've ever seen about "Phantom of the Paradise." You did your homework, lol.
Thank you so much! That means a lot 🐻❤️
Also, how about a Phantom remake with dolls, in the style of Winter Steele??
This has been my favourite movie for about 45 years, hands down. I want the end theme, The Hell of It, played at my funeral.
Originally, the record company mentioned in the film was called Swan Song but Led Zeppelin did a cease-and-desist
I'll always remember the part about the metal teeth, the fact that the main baddie in Berserk has the same helmet was another "oh, that's COOL!" Moments.
This was one of those video store rentals that I picked up because the main villain looked cool, didn't know it was a cult classic!
I don't know how this ended up on my recommended but I sure am glad it did. I almost fell out of my chair when i saw you only have 360 subs... Keep doing you and, this channel is gonna blow up soon enough!
Thank you so much for the kind words! I’m glad you enjoyed the video 🐻❤️
I'm glad Femto cleaned up his act and finally made that movie he kept saying he was gonna make. Good on him.
This movie *looks* amazing. The aesthetic is top notch. The costumes, the colors, the photography. I can believe I never heard of it before
I love the emphasis on the looks lol
For sure though for sure 🐻❤️
It's what really stood out to me! Plus I haven't watched it so I didn't get to hear any of the music yet @@BearBitesShow
Back when I used Tumblr, I remember seeing stills of the film. So I watched it on a sketchy free website. After 1 watch, I bought a physical copy. It has completely rocked my world! Paul Williams quickly became one of my favorites. We're Instagram mutuals, something I'll never get over
WHAT A FLEX! 🐻❤️
First of all, this is a really good analysis and now I want to find a Bluray of this.
Second of all, you deserve way more subscribers.
Thank you on both ends! Hopefully we will get there 🐻❤️
I've heard that Swan was a stand-in for Phil Spectre. This movie really called it on that front.
I'm from Winnipeg and the following for this movie here is actually insane, huge watch parties for it every year with live bands and the whole deal. This year they've got the surviving cast making an appearance as well. One of my favorite musicals.
It's been my GREAT good fortune to have been living in Los Angeles at the time the film came out. I was friends with Linda Miller, an animator with Disney. She introduced me to the film, and to Jim Tanenbaum, who was the sound engineer for the film. He gave a talk at the Los Angeles Science fantasy Society (LASFS) about some of the behind-the-scene details of the film. For instance, the scene with the auditions around Swan's record desk was done in a single 360 degree take. How to conceal the necessary mics? The sound engineer had to crawl around, UNDER the desk, on hands and knees, holding a mic under the frame to catch each singer's voice! Technology has improved since then.
Winnipeg audiences put "Phantom of The Paradise" on the map.
Winnipeg is having a 50 Anniversary celebration! November 2nd, 2024! Trust me... Phantompalooza
Dawm I wish I was there
so glad you enjoyed it! it's a much better film than people might think and totally underrated. one of my favorite movies!
I remember watching this for the first time when I was around 15. Though there aren't that many horror musicals (I think there are about six I can think of off the top of my head), this one tops the list as my all time favorite. The combination of both Williams' and Harper's vocal talents along with Williams' masterful songwriting is just amazing. Tacking on the directorial genius of De Palma is just icing on a superbly surreal cake that I would happily eat up any time I get it served to me. Awesome work on this video.
Paul Williams even turned up in Smokey and the Bandit a box office juggernaut of its day
More recently he had a brief but engaging role in 'Baby Driver'.
"Smokey" would have been the biggest movie of 1977 if not for an obscure film called Star Wars.
Never forget he is Mamo
This movie just celebrated its 50TH ANNIVERSARY congrats phantom, I went to go see this today and the whole cast was there. It was awesome.
I saw this first decades ago, it stayed in the dark corners of my brain, like it was just a strange dream I had. Not many movies can do that. Thanks for refreshing it.
Thourourghly enjoyed your look at one of my very favorite films. I saw it when it opened on October 31st, 1974, I was only nine but I loved it. Some might say it opened on November 1st, but I believe I saw it on Halloween.
One of De Palma’s best films and easily one of my favorite soundtracks. The Hell Of It is one of the greatest tracks… EVER! I’m so glad you love it like everyone who’s posted here. Great job! 👍
I still remember, at nine-years-old, seeing this film twice in the theater back in ‘74. It was like nothing I had ever seen before and I fell in love with it. Especially Paul Williams songs. I played the vinyl soundtrack so many times, I think I wore it out.
For so many years this film was just forgotten and wasn’t available to watch on any format. It’s so great that this masterpiece has received the attention it deserves, including a magnificent remastered transfer on Blu-ray.
I remember staying up late and sneaking down stairs. After my parents were asleep and watching this on HBO when we first got cable in the late 70's. Loved it. Thanks,that fun video.
One of my favorite films of all time. No exaggeration. I couldn't count how many times I've watched it since I first saw it as a kid. I was born 4 years after this came out but my Mom loved it and we rented it on Beta (lol), when I was around ten years old and I thought it was brilliant. The prison sequence always kills me. Sometimes I load it up on my PC just to skip through the flick just to listen to the musical numbers... and to this day I constantly catch myself hearing THE HELL OF IT in my head out of nowhere. Williams, Harper and Finley give it their all, and it shows, but I think Gerrit Graham as Beef often steals the scenes. :)
This is amazing. I remember seeing the advertising for this as a kid, but my sister talked me out of seeing it. I never knew what this film was about all these years. Thanks for sharing.
As soon as I saw this, I just HAD to hear what you had to say about it. Seen this as a child and as you can imagine, it left an impression on me. In a good way. It likely contributed in no small way to my life long obsession with bizzare cult films. If you even remotely are interested in weird movies, this is a MUST SEE!
Thank you Bear for this incredible heads-up!!❤🐻❤🐻❤
I saw and loved this one time when i was quite young, and for years, i could not remember its name or find out about it till the internet rescued me!! It holds a special place in my heart!! Thank you for raising awareness of it!!
Jessica Harper had such a strange 'typecasting.' In all three of the movies she's best-known for, she's a wide-eyed ingenue artist who almost gets destroyed by the dark side of her art. (The other two being Susperia and Shock Treatment.) It's an oddly-specific career.
But yeah, this movie is tons of fun. Definitely a must-see for cult movie fans.
Hill I will absolutely die on: Phantom of the Paradise is the absolute BEST version of the Phantom of the Opera that has ever been put to film.
One can certainly make the argument. Excellent film!
completely agreed. One of the nicest things about it, is that the Phantom isn't portrayed as some desperate incel edgelord.
"The hill you will die on? No more suicides, pffawg9999, you gave up that right when you signed this contract!"
Completely with you on that hill!
While being a wholly original variant of it, to boot.
I saw this movie on my local tv station, it was one of the movies you see and want to change the channel but for some reason or another you keep watching. Thank you for the analysis, I had no idea that de Palma was behind this. Keep up the good work.
I grew up loving this film thanks to my mom. It's such an amazing mix of true beauty and pathos, and utter cheesy camp. Perfection!
Phantom of the Paradise has been among my top 3 favourite movies of all time (along with Terry Gilliam's "Brazil" and Hal Ashby's "Being There" (Peter Sellers greatest performance)) since I attended the local preniere. 50 years after its release (geez I'm old), I've lost count of how many times I've seen it, but I know the lyrics of all the (wonderful) songs by heart.
Frankenfurter's got nothing on Swan.
You should have allowed the audio for "I'm under contract too". (and did you actually use "That's the hell of it" in your summary ? Well done!)
Saw Phantom of the paradise at a drive in theatre in 1974 with friends. Have it on DVD and watch it once in awhile. Great movie.
I had the pleasure of seeing the "restored" version last night at the Majestic Theatre in Dallas (the Paradise itself!) with Paul Williams in attendance!!
I’ve seen this movie countless times and I own the soundtrack.Both great pieces of art.
And I live in Winnipeg Manitoba Canada.
My mom made my brother and his friend take me to see this film in the theater (I was 8 years old) I wasn't old enough to catch the humor, all I saw were the horrific elements, and so the film scared the 💩 outta me. Fast forward to 2008: This film is now one of my all time favorite movies, I'm a die hard horror fanatic, and I got to see Paul Williams live. I had him sign my PotP DVD in red ink, "Trust me... Swan"... (If you had the soundtrack album, you'd get it.)
I just got the soundtrack on CD man I m fucken stoked I've wanted this for years
@@warriorv9359 It's awesome crank it
I've never heard of your channel before; I've never heard of this movie before; yet somehow I found your video about this movie and now I'm convinced I need to watch it. This sounds WAY better than The Phantom of the Opera.
Welcome to the channel and enjoy the movie! It’s fantastic! 🐻❤️
A dark dark film in so much color!
The moment I discovered this movie a few years ago I fell in love with it. Everything about it was just perfect, definitely one of my all time favorite musicals.
I saw the film at a cinema palace in Toronto, in 1974. It was spot on to my lifestyle at that time.
I still play the CD now and then. Jessica Harpers' song about how old souls live forever still touches me.
I stumbled across this film as a little kid anytime I played this or watched it no ONE around me got into like I did. This is one of my favorite movies and I feel a very underrated film.
Ok after video. Subbed. AMAZING video analysis. KEEP UP THE AMAZING work !
I love the way you verbed Cask of Amontillado!
For me, Every film Jessica Harper has been in is interesting from "Suspiria" to "Inserts".
I saw this on late night tv a couple years back, the shower scene grabbed my attention and I couldn't look away. It really is a memorable film.
It just sticks in your head. It’s so awesome
Another fun but not often mentioned fact: everyone knows the story about "Swan Song" being changed because of pressure from Led Zeppelin, but there's another (probably unintentional) throwaway reference to real life music. A clueless Philbin asks Winslow what label Faust is on. The answer is Polydor Records. There actually WAS a band called Faust at the time, a German Krautrock/progressive rock group, who were somewhat well known among prog fans, but not by mainstream audiences and not in the US. FWIW, a concept album and theatrical live show about the historical Faust is certainly in line with what you'd expect from the progressive rock scene of the time...maybe De Palma was more hip than he let on.
I don't watch movies anymore. Considering I went to school for cinema, worked at a movie rental, and spent most of my free time watching films, it's still a bit surprising. It is what it is. When other film fanatics found out I cherished movies like: Forbidden Zone, El Topo, Street Trash, The Loved One, Population 1, most assumed I've seen this one- I never had. Considering I don't have free time to watch a full-length films at this time, this is the next best thing. Thank you! It was on my list for some time❤
At 14, I watched this with my 9 year old little brother at the UA Fashion Place Cinemas in Murray, Utah. It didn't bother me, but my brother was completely terrorized by it, especially since you could hear 'The Texas Chainsaw Massacre ' playing in the theater next to us.
I was only eight when the movie came out but somehow I got album . Fell in love with the music a few years later it came on HBO I think . Watched it and then fell in love movie . What struck me the most was the opening dialog.
When Philbin complains about losing the court case against a singer Swan ask. “ what do you want me to do ?”
Philbin says “break her”. Swan ends the conversation after Philbin says “she is on top of the charts”
By saying “ that’s today Philbin today tomorrow she is nothing” .
That says a lot about fame just because you are famous today does not mean you will be there tomorrow.
I love story driven songs like "Goodbye, Eddie, Goodbye" from this movie's Juicy Fruits.
Nice thoughtful review. My girlfriend (later my wife) loved Paul Williams' lyrics and music. We got to see it in an out of the way art film theater in Baltimore.
It always surprised me that PotP predates the Rocky Horror Picture Show
I saw the two of them on a doublebill when RHPS was released. Rocky was fun, but Phantom lives in my heart. Winslow Lives!
Great review! Thorough with a good start to paint a picture for cult movies, and I could really tell the love the film and tried to do this wonderful and wonderfully mad movie justice.
A great crazy take on the Phantom of the Opera story.
Paul Williams is also the voice the Penguin from Batman the Animated Series!
I remember watching cable TV with my buddy one night and he was flipping through the channels and Phantom of the Paradise was on. There was a shot of the contract and my buddy goes, "It's Swan, dude!" It made me crack up that I still laugh about it years later. 😆
I ADORE this film. It's not just the price one pays but also a commentary on the entertainment industry. With all the recent revelations about film producers and Hollywood and the stories of people trying to get into the music industry, I find this story to be a somewhat surrealist version of what some people go through to exist as entertainers in the industry itself. It's very poignant really. For many people there's Rocky Horror, but for me, this film IS my Rocky Horror. There's so much to discuss about this film, i could start a podcast about just this film alone.
The one and only time I’ve seen this film was in the theater when it came out. It’s time for a long overdue reviewing. Thanks for this!
I remember this movie....freaked me the hell out.
And nice to see the Berserk shout out!
I saw PHANTOM OF THE PARADISE at the theatre when it was first released, and was totally gobsmacked! I’ve owned the VHS tape, I still have the DVD and the CD soundtrack. I’ve written about it in Scary Monsters magazine. For decades, I’ve said that if ROCKY HORROR didn’t exist, PHANTOM would have taken on a different life and filled the void. The look of the film, the sets, the colour scheme, the costumes (especially the mask!), the script, everything comes together in a way that films rarely do these days. Then, there’s the music: The best thing about the film is that Paul Williams wrote the music, and the worst thing about it is that Paul Williams wrote the music. Make of that what you will.
I love this film, it's my guilty pleasure and one of my favorites. Awesome commentary on it. Looking forward to more like this. Subscribed!
New to your channel bear bites. Keep going! Your review was bigger than many of the larger pages!
Thank you so much 🐻❤️
Gay "Berserk" prequel confirmed!
Carburetors man, that's what life is all about.
Makes me laugh every time
I loved this film. I saw it when it opened. It influenced me greatly. I never saw Rocky Horror until about 11 years later, and whenever someone would bring up that movie I would say "yeah, but have you ever seen Phantom of the Paradise?"
You had the story of Faust, the Phantom of the Opera, Dorian Gray all wrapped up together. I have the soundtrack on my phone, that''s how much I love this movie.
As a side note, I wonder how much the music (especially Faust (I was not myself last night - Winslow version) influenced Jim Steinman? It's very similar to Meatloaf, Bonnie Tyler and Air Supply tunes he wrote years later.
Finally got the soundtrack this week after wanting it for years
Saw this decades ago at the theater. I think it was a Weird Wednesday special showing at Alamo Drafthouse. Either way, the music has been stuck in my head growing up since.
Goodbye Eddie Goodbye has been in my head daily
I saw this movie on release at the base theater on Ft. Monmouth N.J. in 1974! It set the stage for "Rocky Horror" and what followed...♥ Jessica Harper still has that voice!
Your great tribute has been up for a while. I can't be the first to mention (ironically?) Paul Williams today is president and chairman of ASCAP, big shot among big shots. ...an amazing career.
I was a kid in the 80’s teen in the 90’s. I had completely forgotten about this movie until I just saw it pop up in my recommendations. I use to see this on TV on the weekends when I was a kid and always tried to watch it but never really knew what the heck was going on exactly because I never caught it from the beginning. I always watched it wherever it was in the film because it was pretty crazy and had to do with music. It eventually just faded away in my memories until now. I’m definitely going to buy this on dvd and finally give it a go from beginning to end. Thanks : )
really great video, it was a great watch
One of my all-time favourites. Seen it at least 100 times. In fact, I watched it YESTERDAY in a theatre filled with 1700 people!
What a great time that sounds like!
@@BearBitesShow Oh, it definitely was! 50th anniversary of the film’s release. Paul Williams was there, as were several of the surviving cast members (as well as the children of some of the ones no longer with us). They did a Q&A after the showing, and a local band played the entire soundtrack live - with the original Juicy Fruits/Beach Bums/Undead joining them on several of the songs.
Another interesting tidbit, the film they showed was a recently restored “directors cut”. Just before the original release, the film was heavily edited to remove (most of) the Swan logos, due to a legal claim by Led Zeppelin’s Swan Song records. The missing footage was tracked down and the original continuity was restored, with the approval of De Palma.
Oh, yeah, in case you didn’t realize it already, yes, I live in Winnipeg!
I watched this movie looking out the back window of a station wagon while my parents watched something else in the front seat at a Drive-In. So I got all of the visuals and none of the music. On subsequent viewings, I came to really appreciate it. It would make a great Broadway musical (as would Streets Of Fire, btw) and on a side note, I think Phoenix has a degree from the Elaine Benes School Of Dance.
I loved it. I met Paul Willams. We spoke about the film. He was clean & sober by then.
I lived in Hollywood, California when that came out and there was this theater that would play this film right before The Rocky Horror Picture Show every Fri and Sat night and a double feature. I went to see it for months in a row. I was a teenager then and there were a lot of folks who loved it. I had the record album with all of the music
The Hell of It is still in my top 20 songs.
The vinyl press that injures him was an injection molding machine from Pressman Toys which makes games as told to me by one the employees. Saw the movie as a kid in theaters (having happy-go-lucky clueless parents helps) so kinda geeked out to hear it. The POTP was popular in France and as mentioned, Canada.
I watched a double feature of The Phantom of the Paradise & Street of No Return at The Roxy in SF...very...very high.
That mask is soo cool
Honestly one of my favorite Phantom of the Opera adaptations
As a former Winnipegger, i can watch it over and over.............
This classic was huge in Winnipeg Manitoba during the 70's. If you are 55+ or even younger, you know the Juicy Fruits-Goodbye Eddy. "...anyone tries, dies!
I got this movie on dvd 2 years ago, for my 33rd birthday. One of my favorite movies of all time
My father named me Phoenix after this movie
That is genuinely awesome!
Cool
I saw this with my brother in the theater. It was PG! He asked for the soundtrack for Christmas, and actually GOT IT (he was always the music aficionado, not me). He would have been 11, me 9. I was so embarrassed when some of those songs were played at the family Christmas gathering. The look on Aunt Frankie's face! Anyway, I truly always loved the movie and music though. Brian DePalma, Paul Williams. Best of the best back then. Edit: 17:54 I see what you did there.
I know I'm yammering a lot here, but this movie has INSANE avenues for imagination. For example..... what if you were one of those guys who 'stabbed' Swan, thinking it was all 'part of the show' . Next day (or mid-afternoon) , you wake up, and meander downstairs for 'breakfast' (It's Sunday) .
Suppose you're living with your parents, who are getting ready for DINNER and dad 'casually' asks, "So how did the concert go?"
"Cool", you reply, wondering what time it is. "Can't wait to see what Swan does next. Man, can that dude put on a show!"
"Killer," your dad semi-sarcastically replies before setting down the front page of the newspaper, showing the bloodied faces of Swan, Philbin and Winslow, with a sobbing Phoenix kneeling over him under the banner headline, *"SWAN'S SONG ENDS ON A TRAGIC NOTE* {Police investigate string of fatalities connected with legendary Producer's rock music theater}.
There is SO MUCH *"Scope for Imagination"* in the aftermath of that night. I'm tempted to re-write a story I started a while ago; "Now and THEN" . Think it's worth a go?
Apparently, the record press was equipped with Rubber parts and a safety bar so that it didn’t close all the way. However the safety bar broke but they were able to get the actor out in time.
Had this on VHS as a child I watched it every over and over, we didn’t have cable it’s really comforting to watch and I still fall asleep to it sometimes as an adult.
Well, it was big in Japan.
The first Lupin the Third movie modeled the character Mamu after The Swan after all.
The composing room that Swan keeps Winslow in is none other than the control room of TONTO, the original Moog synthesizer studio where Stevie Wonder recorded hundreds of songs, including "Superstition" and "You Are the Sunshine of My Life".
Been a favorite for a long time. Although Jessica Harper gets to sing more in the Rocky Horror sequel "Shock Treatment"
Fun fact. That giant modular synthesizer in the background, that they have the Phantom playing, is a real, and very famous Moog synthesizer called the TONTO. It was used by a LOT of very famous artists.
If you haven't already, check out "Zero Time", an outstanding early electronic album by the aptly named Tonto's Expanding Head Band (aka Malcolm Cecil and Robert Margouleff), recorded entirely with this monster Moog system. There's trippy '60s-esque synth-raga, and there's impressive proto-EDM in there... impressive because this album is from 1971. I can't imagine how much all those Moog modules must have cost to buy!